Melissa,
I'm at a community college as well and have gone through two lab builds. The one thing I really pushed for was quad power outlets on the bench tops. And data ports. Even though everything is wireless, when we have a full lab using laptops trying to get on the intranet, wired is best. And you can never have enough outlets. Lots of circuits, too. Hot plate / stirrers using a lots of power.
And big, deep sinks. Not the cup ones - those are fine in the fume hoods. But if the students are going to be doing actual experiments, they need sinks to wash dishes.
A small lecture room, separate from the lab but maybe attached, for each lab room. We have one lecture room dedicated to being the 'break out room', but one is not enough for the 3 lab rooms. I've heard of one school (I don't know which) that the students entered the break out room from the hall. At the back of that room was a door leading into the lab. And at the back of the lab was a door into the prep area. All of the labs were connected in the back to the prep area. Chemicals were never in the hallway.
Another thing we did in one of the labs, was to make a U shaped bench for the instruments. The instruments face out and all of the cords and tanks are inside the U. We got that idea from a tech college in Wisconsin. It works really well. I wish there was more room inside the U. I think we have 3 feet. But there probably can't be too much room. But even 6" would help. You have to be really careful where you walk.
Make drawings and spend time (in your head) in the rooms (that are on paper).
Those are the things that pop in my head.
Good luck!
Kathy Wall MS
Chemistry Lab Coordinator
Extension 2347
Office SCI 204
Cell 630-544-9082
Waubonsee Community College
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>>> On 11/16/2017 at 6:27 PM, <mwanderson08**At_Symbol_Here**GMAIL.COM> wrote:
Hi Everyone,
We're in the planning process for a new science building (we're a two-year community college with a strong STEM reputation and a very small informal undergrad research program). Does anyone have any lessons learned or other recommendations as we start working with the architects when it comes to planning out our chemistry labs?
Thanks!
Melissa Anderson
Chemistry Instructor
Pasadena City College --- For more information about the DCHAS-L e-mail list, contact the Divisional secretary at secretary**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org Follow us on Twitter **At_Symbol_Here**acsdchas |
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